ROUTE GUIDANCE APPARATUS, ROUTE GUIDANCE METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM
The present invention provides a route guidance apparatus for guiding a go-around route of a plurality of transit points, the apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire request information of a user and event information for each of candidates of the plurality of transit points; a selection unit configured to select possible round transit points among the candidates of the plurality of transit points in accordance with a matching degree between the request information and the event information; and a decision unit configured to decide a go-around route of the transit points selected by the selection unit.
This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2018/044476 filed on Dec. 4, 2018, Which claims priority to and the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-025338 filed on Feb. 15, 2018, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a route guidance apparatus, a route guidance method, and a storage medium which provide guidance for a go-around route of a plurality of transit points.
Background ArtIn a conventional navigation system, a route for reaching one destination set by a user is decided in consideration of a distance, a fee, a road width, traffic jam, and the like. PTL 1 proposes an apparatus for notifying the presence of a tourist spot when the tourist spot midway along a route to a destination set by a user is searched for.
For example, in an area in which a plurality of facilities such as tourist spots are scattered, a user requests to efficiency go around to visit the plurality of facilities so that the user can join an event of each tourist spot and go around to visit the tourist spot in a non-congested time. However, in the apparatus described in PTL 1, the presence of the tourist spot is notified, but it is difficult satisfy such a user request.
The present invention has as its object to provide guidance for a route which allows the user to efficiently go around to visit a plurality of transit points.
CITATION LIST Patent LiteraturePTL 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2017-194317
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to the present invention, there is provided a route guidance apparatus for guiding a go-around route of a plurality of transit points, the apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire request information of a user and event information for each of candidates of the plurality of transit points; a selection unit configured to select possible round transit points among the candidates of the plurality of transit points in accordance with a matching degree between the request information and the event information; and a decision unit configured to decide a go-around route of the transit points selected by the selection unit, wherein the request information includes a plurality of requests each having priority set by the user, wherein the selection unit calculates, for each of the candidates of the plurality of transit points, the matching degree such that the matching degree is higher as priority of a request which matches the event information among the plurality of requests is higher, and preferentially selects, as the possible round transit points, transit points whose the calculated matching degree is higher, and wherein in a case where the transit points selected by the selection unit include a specific transit point with a charging station, the decision unit decides the go-around route based on a possible traveling distance estimated by assuming that a battery is charged during a stay time at the specific transit point.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference o the attached drawings.
The embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and includes changes and modifications of arrangements within the scope of the present invention. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the present invention.
The in-vehicle device 101 is mounted in a vehicle on which a user rides. In this embodiment, as a vehicle on which the in-vehicle device 101 is mounted, a motor-driven straddle type vehicle (for example, a two-wheeled vehicle) will be exemplified. The server 102 can become a computer capable of executing the present invention according to the program. In addition, the plurality of facilities 103 include, for example, tourist spots such as temples and shrines, amusement facilities, restaurants, and charging stations for charging the electric vehicles and can become candidates of a plurality of transit points selected to decide a go-around route to be described later. In an example shown in
A display unit 204 gives alarms information to the user by image display. The input unit 205 accepts information input from the user. In this embodiment, a display such as a touch panel LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is used. The touch panel LCD functions as both the display unit 204 and the input unit 205. The arrangement is not limited to this. The input unit 205 (for example, a keyboard) may be arranged independently of the display as the display unit 204.
A GPS sensor 206 detects the current position of the vehicle. A vehicle speed sensor 207 detects the current speed of the vehicle. A gyro sensor 208 detects the rotation motion of the vehicle. The CPU 201 determines the course of the vehicle based on the detection results of these sensors. In addition, in this embodiment, since the electric vehicle is used as a vehicle on which the user rides, the in-vehicle device 101 includes a battery remaining amount sensor 209 for detecting the remaining amount of the battery of the electric vehicle. The CPU 201 estimates (calculates) a possible traveling distance of the vehicle based on the battery remaining amount detected by the battery remaining amount sensor 209.
The request information 228 is information indicating the user request when the user goes around to visit a plurality of transit points. The request information 228 is input by the user via the input unit 205 of the in-vehicle device 101 and received by the communication unit 224 via the network 104. The request information 228 can include, for example, time information indicating a time during which the user can spend the stay of a transit point (for example, a time during which the user spends sightseeing), destination information indicating the destination (the final destination) at which the user finally reaches and the arrival target time to the destination, and the like in addition to information indicating a desired sightseeing spot or a desired event in the sightseeing spot when the user goes sightseeing of the sightseeing spots as the plurality of transit points.
The event information 229 is information indicating the schedule of an event conducted in each facility 103 and is received from the computer of each facility 103 to the communication unit 224 via the network 104. The event information 229 may include predicted congestion information indicating the congestion degree in each facility 103, information concerning a scene shooting timing such as the location and time capable of shooting a photo in which the sunset is included in the scene in each facility 103, information indicating whether charging of the electric vehicle is possible (that is, information indicating whether the charging station is present), and the like in addition to information indicating the type of event performed in each facility and its scheduled times (for example, the date and time, the start time, the end time, and the execution time).
The map information 230 is information indicating the positions and roads of the plurality of facilities 103 and can be received by the communication unit 224 via the network 104. The map information 230 may include traffic jam information predicted from a past tendency in consideration of the day of the week, the season, and the weather, traffic information such as a construction and a road closure, and the like.
The CPU 221 of the server 102 can include an acquisition unit 225, a selection unit 226, and a decision unit 227. The acquisition unit 225 acquires the request information 228 and the event information 229 stored in the storage unit 223. The selection unit 226 obtains a matching degree between the request information 228 of the user and the event information 229 of each facility 103 among the plurality of facilities 103 serving as the candidates of the transit points and selects possible transit points (the facility 103) in accordance with the obtained matching degree. In addition, the decision unit 227 decides a go-around route in which the user can go around to visit the transit point selected by the selection unit 226. The communication unit 224 (output unit) transmits (outputs) the decided go-around route data to the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 104.
Next, processing performed between the in-vehicle device 101, the server 102, and each facility 103 in the route guidance system 100 shown in
Upon transmitting the request information, the server 102 performs processing for deciding the go-around route of the plurality of facilities 103 serving as the transit points (step 304). Details of the go-around route decision processing will be described later. If the plurality of go-around route candidates are decided in the server 102, the information of the plurality of candidates is transmitted from the server 102 to the in-vehicle device 101 (step 305), and the information of the plurality of transmitted candidates is displayed on the display unit 204 of the in-vehicle device 101 (step 306). The in-vehicle device 101 requests, to the server 102, go-around route information (for example, route guidance information) about one candidate selected, from the plurality of candidates displayed on the display unit 204, by the user via the input unit 205 (step 307), The server 102 transmits the go-around route information requested from the in-vehicle device 101 to the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 104 (step 308). Accordingly, the in-vehicle device 101 starts providing the route guidance to the user in accordance with the go-around route information acquired from the server 102 (step 309).
Processing for deciding the go-around route of the plurality of transit points (facilities 103). which is performed in step 304 of
In S11, the CPU 221 receives and acquires the event information 229 stored in the storage unit 223 from each facility 103 via the network 104 by the communication unit 224. As described above, the event information 229 can include, for example, the type of event conducted in each facility 103 and its schedule, information indicating the congestion degree in each facility 103, information concerning the shooting timing, and the like.
In S12, the CPU 221 receives and acquires the user request information 228 stored in the storage unit 223 from the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 104 by the communication unit 224. As described above, the request information 228 can include, for example, destination information indicating a destination and its arrival target time, information such as an event indicating a facility where the user wants to visit until the user reaches the destination, and the like.
In S13, the CPU 221 acquires (receives) user vehicle information (to be also referred to as vehicle information hereinafter) from the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 104 by the communication unit 224. The user vehicle information can include, for example, information (current position information) indicating the current position of the vehicle of the user calculated from the detection results of the GPS sensor 206, the vehicle speed sensor 207, and the gyro sensor 208 of the in-vehicle device 101 and information (battery remaining amount information) indicating the remaining amount of the battery detected by the battery remaining amount sensor 209 of the in-vehicle device 101. In addition, the user vehicle information may include information concerning the characteristics (performance) of the vehicle of the user, such as the capacity and charging rate of the battery and the fuel consumption (traveling distance per unit power).
In S14, the CPU 221 estimates (calculates) a possible traveling distance which allows the vehicle to travel with the battery remaining amount, based on the battery remaining amount information acquired from the in-vehicle device 101 and the user vehicle information. In this embodiment, although the CPU 221 estimates the possible traveling distance based on the battery remaining amount information, the present invention is not limited to this. The CPU 201 of the in-vehicle device 101 may acquire, in place of the battery remaining amount information, information of a possible traveling distance estimated (calculated) from the battery remaining amount information.
In S15, the CPU 221 calculates (decides) a matching degree between the user request information 228 and the event information 229 for each of the plurality of facilities 103 included in the range of the possible traveling distance estimated in S14. For example, the CPU 221 obtains an index value (a point value) indicating the matching degree between the user request information 228 and the event information 229 for each facility 103 within the range of the possible traveling distance.
More specifically, as for a user request “I want to go around to visit temples and shrines as much as possible” input to the input field 403 of the screen 400 shown in
In S16, the CPU 221 preferentially selects the facility 103 having a high matching degree calculated in S15, as the transit point where the user can go around to visit within the range of the possible traveling distance with the battery remaining amount. At this time, the CPU 221 may preferentially select as the transit point, the specific facility 103 having a charging station Where the battery of the user vehicle can charge. Alternatively, the CPU 221 may select the transit point in consideration of the stay time in the facility 103. The stay time in the facility 103 is, for example, a general time estimated to be needed to stay (for example, sightseeing) in the facility 103 based on the past tendency. The CPU 221 can determine whether the user can reach the destination until the arrival target time and select a transit point when the user has stayed in the facility 103 by only the stay time and has left the facility 103.
In S17, the CPU 221 determines in accordance with a time difference between the scheduled departure time calculated in S16 and the target arrival time to a destination 500 whether the user travels toward the destination 500. For example, the CPU 221 determines based on the time difference between the scheduled departure time calculated in S16 and the schedule arrival time to the destination 500 whether the user can go around to visit another facility 103. If there is an enough time margin until the target arrival time and the CPU 221 determines that the user can go around to visit the other facility 103, the process advances to 518 to perform processing for selecting a next facility 103 that the user goes around to visit. In S18, the CPU 221 estimates (calculates) a possible traveling distance with a battery remaining amount based on the battery remaining amount estimated when the battery is charged in the facility 103 selected in S16. After the possible traveling distance is estimated in S18, the processes in S15 to S17 described above are repeatedly performed.
In the examples shown in
In S19, the CPU 221 determines, as one candidate, a go-around route of a plurality of transit points obtained by the processes in S14 to S18. In S20, the CPU 221 determines whether another go-around route candidate is decided (searched). For example, the CPU 221 determines in S15, based on whether a facility 103 remote from the transit point regardless of the facility 103 having a relatively high matching degree (the degree is equal to or higher than a predetermined value) is present, whether another candidate of the go-around route may be decided. In addition, based on whether the number of decided go-around route candidates reaches the preset target number of candidates, the CPU 221 determines whether another go-around route candidate is decided. The target number of candidates may be, for example, preset by the user via the input unit 205 of the in-vehicle device 101 or set in advance in the server 102. If the CPU 221 determines that another go-around route candidate is decided, processes in S14 to S18 are performed again. In this case, the CPU 221 can newly decide second and subsequent candidates in consideration of the candidates so a route is not the same as the already decided candidate.
In S21, the CPU 221 transmits (outputs) information of a plurality of go-around route candidates decided so far to the in-vehicle device 101 via the network 104 by the communication unit 224. In the in-vehicle device 101, the information of the plurality of go-around route candidates received via the network 104 by the communication unit 210 is displayed on the touch panel display serving as the display unit 204.
As has been described above, according to this embodiment, the matching degree between the user request information and the event information in each facility 103 is calculated, the plurality of facilities 103 where the user goes around to visit the facilities as the transit points are selected in accordance with the calculated matching degree of each facility 103, and the go-around route of these facilities is decided. Accordingly, the user can efficiently go around to visit the plurality of facilities to cope with the user request.
<Summary of Embodiment>
A route guidance apparatus of the above embodiment is a route guidance apparatus for guiding a go-around route of a plurality of transit points, comprising acquisition means (for example, 225) for acquiring request information of a user and event information for each of candidates of the plurality of transit points, selection means (for example, 226) for selecting possible round transit points among the candidates of the plurality of transit points in accordance with a matching degree between the request information and the event information, and decision means (for example, 227) for deciding a go-around route of the transit point selected by the selection means. With this arrangement, the route in which the user can efficiently go around to visit the plurality of facilities to cope with the user request can be provided to the user.
In addition, the request information includes time information indicating a time during which the user can spend stay in a transit point, and the selection means selects the possible round transit points further in accordance with the time information. With this arrangement, the route where the user can efficiently go around to visit the plurality of facilities within the time requested by the user can be provided.
In addition, the request information includes destination information indicating a destination and target arrival time to the destination, and the selection means selects the possible round transit points further in accordance with the destination information. With this arrangement, the route where the user can reach the user destination at the arrival target time can be provided.
In addition, the selection means selects the possible round transit points in consideration of a stay time in each transit point. With this arrangement, the stay in each transit point such as a sightseeing transit point can satisfy the user request.
In addition, the event information includes at least one of information concerning a type, start time, and end time of an event, information concerning a shooting timing, and predicted congestion information. With this arrangement, the route further coping with the user request can be provided.
In addition, the selection means selects the possible round transit points in accordance with a possible traveling distance with a remaining amount of a battery mounted in an electric vehicle of the user. With this arrangement, the go-around route can be decided so as not to cause the dead battery during traveling.
In addition, the selection means selects a specific transit point with a charging station as the possible round transit points within the range of the possible traveling distance. With this arrangement, since the battery can be charged in each transit point, the possibility of the dead battery during traveling can be reduced.
In addition, the selection means decides a transit point where the user goes around to visit next in accordance with the possible traveling distance estimated if the battery is charged during a stay time in the specific transit point. With this arrangement, the go-around route can be decided without the dead battery during traveling.
In addition, the decision means decides a plurality of candidates for the go-around route. With this arrangement, the degree of selection of the go-around route to cope with the user request can be increased.
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, to apprise the public of the scope of the present invention, the following claims are made.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
Claims
1. A route guidance apparatus for guiding a go-around route of a plurality of transit points, the apparatus comprising:
- an acquisition unit configured to acquire request information of a user and event information for each of candidates of the plurality of transit points;
- a selection unit configured to select possible round transit points among the candidates of the plurality of transit points in accordance with a matching degree between the request information and the event information; and.
- a decision unit configured to decide a go-around route of the transit points selected by the selection unit,
- wherein the request information includes a plurality of requests each having priority set by the user,
- wherein the selection unit calculates, for each of the candidates of the plurality of transit points, the matching degree such that the matching degree is higher as priority of a request which matches the event information among the plurality of requests is higher, and preferentially selects, as the possible round transit points, transit points whose the calculated matching degree is higher, and
- wherein in a case where the transit points selected by the selection unit include a specific transit point with a charging station, the decision unit decides the go-around route based on a possible traveling distance estimated by assuming that a battery is charged during a stay time at the specific transit point.
2. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
- the request information includes time information indicating a time during which the user can spend stay in a transit point, and
- the selection unit selects the possible round transit points further in accordance with the time information.
3. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
- the request information includes destination information indicating a destination and target arrival time to the destination, and
- the selection unit selects the possible round transit points further in accordance with the destination information,
4. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the possible round transit points in consideration of a stay time in each transit point.
5. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the event information includes at least one of information concerning a type, start time, and end time of an event, information concerning a shooting timing, and predicted congestion information.
6. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the possible round transit points in accordance with a possible traveling distance with a remaining amount of a battery mounted in an electric vehicle of the user.
7. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the selection unit selects a specific transit point with a charging station as one of the possible round transit points within the range of the possible traveling distance.
8. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the selection unit selects a transit point where the user goes around to visit next in accordance with the possible traveling distance estimated if the battery is charged during a stay time in the specific transit point.
9. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision unit decides a plurality of candidates for the go-around route.
10. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit preferentially selects, as the possible round transit points, a transit points with a charging station among the candidates of the plurality of transit points.
11. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
- the event information includes predicted congestion information indicating a prediction of congestion degree in a candidate of a transit point, and
- the decision unit decides the go-around route based on the predicted congestion information.
12. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the decision unit decides a plurality of candidates for the go-around route.
13. The route guidance apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the decision unit
- decides a first candidate for the go-around route, and
- decides, in a case where the candidates of the plurality of transit points includes a candidate of a transit point which is deviated from the first candidate even though the matching degree is equal to or more than a threshold, a second candidate for the go-around route so as to include the deviated candidate of the transit point.
14. A route guidance method of guiding a go-around route of a plurality of transit points, the method comprising:
- an acquisition step of acquiring request information of a user and event information for each of candidates of the plurality of transit points;
- a selection step of selecting possible round transit points in accordance with a matching degree between the request information and the event information; and
- a decision step of deciding a go-around route of the transit point selected in the selection step,
- wherein the request information includes a plurality of requests each having priority set by the user,
- wherein in the selection step, the matching degree for each of the candidates of the plurality of transit points is calculated such that the matching degree is higher as priority of a request which matches the event information among the plurality of requests is higher, and transit points whose the calculated matching degree is higher is preferentially selected as the possible round transit points, and
- wherein in the decision step, in a case where the transit points selected by the selection step include a specific transit point with a charging station, the go-around route is decided based on a possible traveling distance estimated by assuming that a battery is charged during a stay time at the specific transit point.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each units of a route guidance apparatus according to claim 1.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 7, 2020
Publication Date: Nov 26, 2020
Patent Grant number: 11525693
Inventor: Sho HAYAKAWA (Wako-shi)
Application Number: 16/988,109